1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an assistive device for optical lens insertion or removal, more specifically it relates to a device for inserting or removing contact lenses that may be attached to a pair of glasses to provide a stabilizing means.
Contact lenses are a commonly used ophthalmological device for the purpose of correcting certain types of poor visual acuity. Since their first production in the late 1800's they have frustrated users with their difficult insertion and removal. Originally contacts were rigid and did not conform well to the shape of a user's eye. As a result the lenses were hard to put in and often came out during the course of regular use. As contact lens manufacturing technology has progressed, the lenses have become soft, moist and flexible to promote greater conformity, comfort, and convenience. Despite these improvements to their construction, contact lenses remain difficult for many users to insert and remove. They are generally used by men and women with poor visual acuity who may have trouble seeing accurately enough to safely insert or remove the contact lenses.
There have been many devices created over the years to assist wearers of contacts with the application of their lenses. Most of these devices are cylindrical in shape with a lens holding means and a pressurizing means such as a flexible ball or tube. These devices suffer the common drawback of needing a user to stabilize the device by holding it in his or her hand. Hand held devices do not possess the stability and support necessary to reduce risk of eye injuries. Additionally, these devices do not provide a stable means for application of medical liquids into a user's eye.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art discloses a variety of devices for insertion and removal of optical contact lenses. These devices have familiar design and structural elements for the purposes of assisting wears of contact lenses with the insertion and removal of those lenses; however they are not adapted for providing a balanced support structure such as a pair of eyeglasses, or for administration of medical fluids into the eye.
Carruthers, U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,914 discloses a contact lens insertion and removal device having a cylindrical tube, a lens holding cup at one end, a light transmitting portion at the opposite end. Opposing lateral sides of said tube are flexible to create changes in pressure that facilitate insertion or removal of a contact lens from a user's eye.
Shoup, U.S. Pat. No. 4,123,098 discloses a device for removing contact lenses comprising a flexible bulb operatively attached to a contact lens holder by a cylindrical tube. Said bulb is depressed to create the pressure necessary to insert or remove a contact lens.
Schrier, U.S. Pat. No. 4,221,414 discloses a contact lens insertion and removal device comprising a bifurcated body portion having angled contact lens holders disposed at the end of said bifurcations. The angled bifurcations may be placed against an eye while a contact lens is being held, to tilt the lens into place on the surface of the eye.
Clark, U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,815 discloses a device for removing or inserting contact lenses from an eye comprising a suction cup secured to a tunnel extension and operatively attached to a vacuum means by a collapsible tubular portion.
Kolze, U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,918 discloses a device for inserting or removing contact lenses comprising a concave lens holding portion attached to a rigid fluid conduit that allows air to flow to and from a flexible ball secured to the conduit's opposite end. Said ball is compressed to create pressure for inserting or removing contacts from the surface of the idea. A mirror arm and a support arm are secured to the rigid conduit to offer guidance to a user.
Kozar, U.S. Pat. No. 5,456,508 discloses a device for removing contact lenses having a concave lens holder attached to a cylindrical tunnel. Said cylindrical tunnel having a flexible ball disposed along its length and another at its end. Said balls may be used to create vacuum pressure for removing contacts from the eye of a user.
The prior art patents describe alternative structures for application of contact lenses, and are substantially different from the present invention in intent and function. In particular, the prior art does not disclose a structural support in the form of eye glasses, nor does it disclose a liquid dispersing means for ready application of liquids into the eye during contact insertion and removal. The current invention relates to a device for insertion and removal of contact lenses from a user's cornea that provides a stabilizing means and allows a user to insert medical liquids into the eye. It substantially diverges in structural elements from the prior art, consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to the existing contact lens insertion and removal devices. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.